by Heinz Bloch, P.E., Editor | May 1, 2022 | Plant Operations, Tech Reviews, The Bloch Files
You will probably have worked with some equipment and component suppliers that saw no reason to offer you upgraded components. Perhaps your seal vendor was among those that were quite happy with the status quo. Such sellers link their growth to numbers of products...
by Heinz Bloch, P.E., Editor | Feb 27, 2022 | Plant Operations, Tech Reviews, The Bloch Files
If you have struggled for a while with conventional pumps, viscosity-correction factors, and the like, you may be ready to think about recessed-impeller units. They’re often considered to be optimum for pumping duties that include free-flowing slurries, sludge,...
by Heinz Bloch, P.E., Editor | Dec 4, 2021 | Lubrication Corner, Tech Reviews, The Bloch Files
This discussion is a continuation of one that began in a Nov. 27, 2021, article (link below) on the role that oil mist has played in protecting stored equipment for decades. Here, the focus is on a variety of advantages this technology offers in equipment preservation...
by Heinz Bloch, P.E., Editor | Nov 27, 2021 | Lubrication Corner, Tech Reviews, The Bloch Files
It has long been proven that soundly executed long-term storage protection of sensitive machinery, such as compressors and drivers, will save much money. The same holds true, of course, for general purpose machines, the bulk of these being process pumps, electric...
by Heinz Bloch, P.E., Editor | Jun 11, 2021 | Plant Operations, Tech Reviews, The Bloch Files
Steam traps are found in virtually every industrial steam system. They allow separation of steam from condensate and are indispensable for equipment reliability and thermally optimized-systems efficiency. It is generally known that traps can fail either “hot”...
by Heinz Bloch, P.E., Editor | Jun 4, 2021 | Asset Management, Tech Reviews, The Bloch Files
As industrial gas turbines began evolving from aircraft jet engines in the 1950s, the need for high-torque and/or higher-speed-capable flexible couplings became more evident. To keep pace, these shaft connectors were enhanced to achieve greater power...
by Howard Penrose, Ph.D., CMRP | May 29, 2021 | Electrical Reliability, Tech Reviews
I recently had the opportunity to review/test the Onics neutral-harmonic filter. The goal was to assess the technology’s impact on energy and reliability. Having investigated the old power-factor “energy savers” and related attempts in the 1990s, I...
by Heinz Bloch, P.E., Editor | May 22, 2021 | Asset Management, Tech Reviews, The Bloch Files
The main function of reciprocating compressor valves is to control flow in and out of a compressor’s cylinders. Valves are critically important components in that their functional integrity usually governs the availability, reliability, and efficiency of...
by Heinz Bloch, P.E., Editor | Aug 28, 2020 | Tech Reviews, The Bloch Files
This article is a follow-up to my recent review of compressor-valve and steam-gland technologies (August 20, 2020). As discussed in that piece, those particular products may not have been brand new, but I considered them worthy of a closer look. To repeat, reliability...
by Heinz Bloch, P.E., Editor | Aug 20, 2020 | Tech Reviews, The Bloch Files
This short piece is taking a somewhat different direction than my typical columns and articles for The RAM Review. This week, I’m providing some information on two innovative technologies that could be of interest to reliability-focused engineers in...
